There are two remaining House of Lords committee sessions where proposed amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill will be discussed.
These sessions are scheduled for next week, on 12 and 14 May.
Once this stage is completed later in the month, the Bill is expected to progress quickly through the House of Lords before returning to the Commons.
Both Houses will need to agree on the final wording of the Bill. However, swift agreement is anticipated, with the Bill likely to be passed well ahead of the summer recess on 22 July.According to Propertymark, if the Renters’ Rights Bill becomes law without any changes, it will lead to major adjustments in how letting agents and landlords operate.
One of the biggest changes would be the removal of Section 21 evictions. This means agents will no longer be able to serve no-fault eviction notices. Instead, landlords will need to use specific legal grounds, such as rent arrears or tenant misconduct, to regain possession. Agents will need to help their clients understand and follow the correct legal process.
Another change is the shift to open-ended tenancies. Fixed-term agreements will be replaced by periodic tenancies. Letting agents must update tenancy agreements and explain the new rules to both landlords and tenants — including how landlords can recover their property and how tenants can give notice.
The Bill also includes stronger rules around rent increases. Under the proposals, rents could only be raised once a year, and large or unfair increases might be challenged. Agents will need to keep proper records and follow clear procedures when reviewing rents.
In addition, the Bill will introduce a new Private Renters’ Ombudsman and a digital Property Portal. All landlords will need to register with both. In most cases, letting agents will likely handle these tasks, so they should be prepared for more admin work to ensure every tenancy is properly registered and disputes are handled correctly.
Lastly, property standards will be raised through the extension of the Decent Homes Standard to private rentals. This means agents must work closely with landlords to make sure homes meet minimum standards before they are let — including safety checks and making sure the property is in good condition.
A significant portion of the House of Lords committee’s time is being devoted to reviewing proposed amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill. Several of these amendments have the backing of the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA).
One proposal is to allow landlords to apply the new student possession ground to all types of student accommodation, not just Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
Another suggested amendment is the introduction of a minimum six-month tenancy period to provide more stability for both tenants and landlords.
There is also a call to improve the rent increase process by enabling the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to dismiss unreasonable challenges to fair rent increases.
Additional proposals include protecting landlords if a tenant fails to pay the initial rent after signing the tenancy agreement.
Finally, the committee is considering a full review of the Bill’s overall impact on the private rented sector.
However, even if these amendments are approved in the House of Lords, they will still require government backing when the Bill returns to the House of Commons.
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